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A structure fire was reported shortly after 2 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 17 in the unit block of Warren Road in Essex, where fire crews were met by visible flames and smoke coming from multiple levels of the home.
The blaze spread to two other homes and displaced a total of 17 residents, as well as eight animals, Baltimore County Police said.
One person and a firefighter were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries, police added. Two cats and a dog also perished in the fire and were found during search efforts.
Due to the extreme temperatures during the cold spell that has gripped the region, the Essex Elementary School was used as a temporary shelter for the residents on the morning of the fire, and now that school community is working to assist those who find themselves out in the cold.
More than $1,200 has been raised just days after the fateful fire, with friends and family showing their support for those impacted by the blaze.
"Early this morning, there was a serious fire in the community that impacted several homes that have Essex Elementary and Stemmers Run Middle School families," organizers of a GoFundMe campaign wrote.
The three families impacted were later relocated to temporary housing with an assist from county officials, and now neighbors are "actively working on gathering supplies" such as clothes, school supplies, and shelter to help get the children involved back to class.
"With storage always an issue with large quantities of donations, monetary donations are always appreciated and much needed by the three families that have been affected by this tragedy," organizers added.
Those interested in assisting the families can do so here.
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